Title Purpose Procedure Data Calculations Discussion Error Analysis Conclusion
Explanation of Sections
Title: What is this Lab about? (Give it a reasonable name based on the purpose, etc)
Purpose: What are you trying to find out or prove?
Procedure: Describe the necessary steps to complete this lab.
Data: This is basically anything you wrote during the lab. Organize this into a useable and comprehensive format (often a table). If averages are needed from multiple trials, they should also be included here.
Calculations: Write an example of each type of unique calculation here. If the same formula is used the same way multiple times, you need not show it more than once.
Discussion: How does this lab relate to the purpose? How do you know that this experiment is valid?
Error Analysis:
Sources of Error: Where were errors present in this lab, over which you had no control? Remember, you have control over calculation errors and errors in measurement. Humans make errors and equipment may be suspect, but these are within our capacity to change or eliminate.
Percentage Error: How far are your results from the accepted value? % error = abs(experimental value/accepted value) x 100% If your percentage error is greater than 10%, something needs fixing!
Conclusion: This answers your purpose for performing the lab. If your purpose required a calculation, state it as well as the percent error you found.
Critical Analysis: What did you learn from the lab? Knowing what you do now, how might you change it in the future? What ideas did this spark when you think about the course material? How does this lab inform your understanding of physics?
Extension Questions: Sometimes there will be extra questions based on the laboratory principles which you did not actually perform. Sometimes there will be calculations pertaining to the principles of the lab. This section is for you to go above and beyond the confines of our classroom and explore this concept further intellectually.
Title
Purpose
Procedure
Data
Calculations
Discussion
Error Analysis
Conclusion
Explanation of Sections
Title: What is this Lab about? (Give it a reasonable name based on the purpose, etc)
Purpose: What are you trying to find out or prove?
Procedure: Describe the necessary steps to complete this lab.
Data: This is basically anything you wrote during the lab. Organize this into a useable and comprehensive format (often a table). If averages are needed from multiple trials, they should also be included here.
Calculations: Write an example of each type of unique calculation here. If the same formula is used the same way multiple times, you need not show it more than once.
Discussion: How does this lab relate to the purpose? How do you know that this experiment is valid?
Error Analysis:
Sources of Error: Where were errors present in this lab, over which you had no control? Remember, you have control over calculation errors and errors in measurement. Humans make errors and equipment may be suspect, but these are within our capacity to change or eliminate.
Percentage Error: How far are your results from the accepted value?
% error = abs(experimental value/accepted value) x 100%
If your percentage error is greater than 10%, something needs fixing!
Conclusion: This answers your purpose for performing the lab. If your purpose required a calculation, state it as well as the percent error you found.
Critical Analysis: What did you learn from the lab? Knowing what you do now, how might you change it in the future? What ideas did this spark when you think about the course material? How does this lab inform your understanding of physics?
Extension Questions: Sometimes there will be extra questions based on the laboratory principles which you did not actually perform. Sometimes there will be calculations pertaining to the principles of the lab. This section is for you to go above and beyond the confines of our classroom and explore this concept further intellectually.